The Ferryman by Christopher Golden

so that Lucas would not hear. It was one thing to give Geoff a hard time, another entirely to scar his son for life.
    With a chuckle, Geoff flipped him the middle finger, low to his chest, out of sight of the kids. “Want a beer?”
    â€œOne beer wouldn’t kill me.”
    Together they walked over to the two wide coolers that were propped against the back porch. Geoff reintroduced David to several people he had met at Lucas’s last birthday. For the most part, when he saw the Kentons, it was just him, though for a while it had been him and Janine.
    Just the thought of her made David smile.
    â€œWhat’s the grin for?” Geoff asked as he pulled a pair of Bass Ales from the ice.
    Caught, David shook his head. “Nothing, really. Just ... I saw Janine last week.”
    â€œNo shit?” Geoff fished a bottle opener from his pocket—indispensible at such gatherings—and popped the caps off both beers. “What’s she up to?”
    A bit reluctant, David nevertheless caught Geoff up on Janine’s recent tragedy, and the visit they’d had on the previous Saturday. Geoff was a guy’s guy, for the most part, but the sorrow on his face when he heard about Janine’s baby was not feigned. He had a good heart. That was why David had worked at maintaining the friendship, despite how differently their lives were turning out.
    â€œLily’s going to be crushed if you start seeing Janine again,” Geoff told him.
    In the midst of a swig of beer, David almost choked. He lowered the bottle and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Why? She liked Janine, I thought.”
    â€œShe did. But she’s got this friend from her book club that she wants you to meet. Samantha. I was against it, I want you to know.”
    David raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong with her?”
    Geoff snickered nastily. “Nothing. She’s completely smoking. I just didn’t want you to end up having sex with her because then I’d be jealous.”
    They both laughed.
    â€œWell, now I want to meet her,” David said.
    He made a show of glancing around, enjoying the chance to remind Geoff of the benefits of free agency. Though personally he thought people who were happily married were about the luckiest people in the world, it assuaged a certain amount of gloom that went with being single whenever he was able to take advantage of married guys’ natural inclination to feel like they were missing out on something.
    â€œWhat was her name again?” he taunted. “Samantha? Like on Bewitched ? I like that.”
    â€œFuck off,” Geoff muttered.
    David continued to glance around the backyard. A few of the mothers had come out onto the lawn now, but it was still mostly dads and the children. The Nerf was missing and in its place was a game of tag accompanied by giddy shrieks from the kindergartners.
    Lucas streaked across the grass, attempting to avoid being tagged. As David watched the boy, a figure in his peripheral vision drew his attention. He looked up.There, across the lawn, just at the edge where the earth was shored up by a concrete wall and steps led down to the lake below, stood Ralph Weiss.
    With the bright sun above, he seemed almost gray, silhouetted there at the far end of the property with the lake spreading out behind him. A cold wind rippled the surface of the water.
    Paralyzed, David stared, unable to speak or even breathe. His eyes felt dry, burning.
    Geoff stepped in front of him, cutting off his view. “Check it out. Here she comes with Lily. I told you she was going to play match-maker.”
    David tilted his head to one side and looked past Geoff. Lucas had been tagged and was now “it.” Another boy had fallen and his father rushed to pick him up.
    There was no one at the edge of the lake.
    â€œWhat the hell?” David whispered.
    He set off across the lawn without hesitation. As he walked he glanced left and